Article Title

Authors

Extension Number

ASL R2292

Topic

Beef

Summary and Implications

Over 12,000 head of cattle from two different data sets were evaluated for the influence that muddy hair coat would have on dressing percent at the harvest facility. In TriCounty Steer Carcass Futurity data as mud score went from no tag, clean hide to lumps of manure attached to the hide continuously on the underbelly and side of the animal from brisket to rear quarter the dressing percent dropped from 62.02 percent to 61.13 percent. Cattle fed at the Armstrong Research facility similarly decreased in dressing percent from 62.00 to 59.50. Both fat cover and ribeye area had significant impacts on dressing percent with fatter cattle dressing over 2 percent greater than lean cattle and heavier muscled cattle dressing over 2 percent greater than lighter muscled cattle.